By Swimming World Workers
UCLA’s Repeat Bid, USC’s Spoiler Function and a Loaded Closing 4
The 2025 NCAA Males’s Water Polo Championship at Stanford has became a dream bracket for followers.Defending champion UCLA is 2 wins away from going back-to-back. USC appears to be like completely positioned to play spoiler.Host Stanford brings home-pool benefit and a balanced assault, whereas Fordham is chasing historical past because the firstnon-California program to interrupt by for the title.
Championship Schedule & Streaming
The 2025 NCAA Males’s Water Polo Championship runs from by Sunday, December 7 streaming on NCAA.com
Opening day at Avery Aquatic Heart went to kind
USC rolled previous Concordia–Irvine, Fordham outlasted San Jose State, UCLA managed Princeton and Stanford dealt with UC Davis.These outcomes arrange a blockbuster semifinal slate —USC vs. Fordham and UCLA vs. Stanford — with Sunday’s nationwide championship on the road.
Recreation 1: USC 16, Concordia–Irvine 6
UC Davis Senior Adam Ting guarding vs Stanford Water Polo
Prime-seeded USC opened its event with the type of efficiency you anticipate from a No. 1 seed.The Trojans briefly trailed 3–2 early, then clamped down defensively and exploded in transition on the wayto a 16–6 win over Concordia–Irvine within the first sport of the day.
USC unfold the scoring throughout its lineup, with a number of gamers discovering the web and the Trojans’ centersdrawing key exclusions that fueled the power-play sport. Concordia — making its first NCAA look —confirmed its high quality by leaping in entrance early, however as soon as USC’s press tightened and the counterattackgot rolling, the highest seed by no means seemed again.
The opening-round rout despatched a transparent message to the remainder of the sector: if somebody goes to cease aUCLA–USC showdown on Sunday, they’re going to need to sluggish a Trojan offense that may assault in wavesand a protection that solely will get stingier as the sport wears on.
Recreation 2: Fordham 13, San Jose State 9
If USC represents the normal energy, Fordham is the fashionable disruptor.The Rams continued their historic rise with a 13–9 win over San Jose State, advancing to the NCAA semifinalsfor the second straight yr and securing back-to-back top-three finishes for a non-California program.
Fordham fell behind 3–1 early however responded with three straight targets to guide 4–3 after the primary quarterand by no means trailed once more. The Rams’ veteran core — led by standout scorers and a gentle presence in aim —managed the sport’s key moments, together with a pivotal defensive stand on a six-on-four and a sequence offourth-quarter targets that lastly put the Spartans away.
San Jose State fought again to inside 11–9 late, displaying the identical resilience that carried the Spartansthrough the common season. However Fordham’s composure and balanced scoring proved decisive, sending the Ramsinto a semifinal conflict with USC and giving the nationwide bracket a real East Coast risk.
Recreation 3: UCLA 15, Princeton 11
NCAA Championship Dec 7 at Stanford
Defending champion UCLA started its repeat quest with a 15–11 win over Princeton that felt comfortablefrom the opening dash. The Bruins bolted to a 5–1 lead after one quarter and used their depth tomanage the sport the remainder of the way in which.
UCLA showcased an assault that may rating from in every single place within the pool — on the perimeter, at middle and in transition.A number of Bruins completed with multi-goal video games, and the reigning champs’ extra-man effectivity keptPrinceton chasing on the scoreboard all through.
Princeton, making its fifth straight NCAA look, mounted a push within the second half and finishedwith a balanced scoring line of its personal. However UCLA’s early surge and expertise in high-pressure NCAA gamesmade the distinction. The win put the Bruins two video games away from back-to-back nationwide titles and setup a marquee semifinal in opposition to host Stanford.
Recreation 4: Stanford 15, UC Davis 9
Within the nightcap, Stanford gave the house followers precisely what they wished: a commanding performanceand a ticket to the semifinals. The Cardinal jumped out early and by no means allowed UC Davis to findsustained momentum, rolling to a 15–9 victory.
Stanford’s balanced assault was on full show, with 5 totally different gamers scoring a number of goalsand the Cardinal mixing inside energy with outdoors capturing. Defensively, Stanford pressed the perimeter,restricted second-chance appears to be like and used its counterattack to generate separation on the scoreboard,turning an 8–4 halftime lead into a snug margin by the fourth quarter.
Head coach Brian Flacks praised his crew’s defensive effort afterward, noting how shortly theCardinal responded when UC Davis tried to push again late within the second quarter.The consequence: a second straight NCAA semifinal look and a high-stakes showdown with UCLA on house water.
USC vs. Fordham: Can the Rams Delay a UCLA–USC Collision Course?
The primary semifinal at the moment at Avery Aquatic Heart comes with a built-in storyline:if USC advances, it retains alive the dream of a UCLA–USC championship conflict on Sunday.Fordham, nevertheless, has zero curiosity in being a supporting character.The Rams have already busted one stereotype by changing into a constant nationwide contender from outdoors California;now they’re aiming to knock out the highest seed.
This can be a rematch of final season’s NCAA semifinal — an additional time thriller that went USC’s manner.Fordham returns extra seasoned and battle-tested, whereas USC’s depth and velocity could also be even higher than a yr in the past.The matchup looks like a take a look at of whether or not a deep, tradition-rich energy can outlast a hungry, ascending challengerover 4 quarters.
Prime Ranked USC has websites set on Championships
For Fordham, the secret’s tempo and possession. The Rams’ stars should proceed to provide, however simply as importantly,they need to restrict live-ball turnovers that gas USC’s counterattack and keep away from lengthy stretches of exclusion bother.If Fordham can hold this sport within the half court docket and win sufficient six-on-five battles, an upset could be very a lot in play.
For USC, the method appears to be like acquainted: roll two strong strains, press defensively, counter exhausting and trustthat the sheer quantity of high-quality probabilities will ultimately break the sport open.If the Trojans seize management at middle, personal the counter lanes and execute on the ability play,they’ll be favorites to take step one towards spoiling UCLA’s repeat bid.
UCLA vs. Stanford: Can the Cardinal Cease the Bruins’ Repeat Bid?
The second semifinal is an MPSF rivalry sport with championship-level stakes.UCLA is 2 wins away from a repeat title; Stanford, enjoying in entrance of a house crowd,has an opportunity to cease the Bruins’ run chilly and open the door for a Cardinal championship storyline of its personal.
If UCLA advances, the narrative everybody circles is clear: Bruins vs. Trojans for the 2025 NCAA crown.However Stanford’s 15–9 dismantling of UC Davis confirmed simply how harmful the Cardinal could be when all cylindersare firing. They’ve the scoring depth to match UCLA goal-for-goal and the bodily protection to makeevery Bruin possession uncomfortable.
UCLA will lean on its confirmed stars and big-game expertise.If the Bruins can begin quick once more, win the front-court matchups and generate early exclusions,they will power Stanford to chase from behind — by no means a straightforward process in an NCAA semifinal.
Stanford, in the meantime, will attempt to flip the sport right into a grind.With a number of shooters able to multi-goal nights and a protection that feeds off the energyof the Avery crowd, the Cardinal are constructed to tug even elite offenses into deep water.If they will sluggish UCLA’s perimeter threats and restrict high-percentage appears to be like on the ability play,Stanford has each likelihood to flip the script and ship the defending champs house early.
What’s at Stake in Palo Alto?
By Sunday afternoon, the storyline can be settled.Both UCLA will full a repeat run, USC will spoil its rival’s bid and add one other trophy to its legacy,Stanford will experience house water to a title, or Fordham will end off some of the remarkablenon-California climbs the game has seen.
What started as a chalk day for the highest 4 seeds has arrange a weekend showcase for males’s school water poloat its highest stage — and a easy, compelling query:will UCLA repeat, or will USC (or another person) rewrite the script at Stanford?
Closing 2025 Rankings
2025 NCAA Water Polo Closing Rankings
References
NCAA.com – “2025 NC males’s water polo championship: Bracket, schedule, scores”
USC vs. Concordia–Irvine sport protection – USC and Concordia Irvine field scores and recaps for the Dec. 5 NCAA quarterfinal at Avery Aquatic Heart.
Fordham vs. San Jose State quarterfinal – Fordham Athletics and Collegiate Water Polo Affiliation recaps of Fordham’s 13–9 win over San Jose State, plus San Jose State’s event wrap
UCLA vs. Princeton quarterfinal – UCLA Athletics, Princeton Athletics and Each day Bruin tales on UCLA’s 15–11 win over Princeton within the first spherical.
Stanford vs. UC Davis quarterfinal – Stanford Athletics “NCAA Semifinal Certain Cardinal” recap and Massive West Convention story on UC Davis’ 15–9 loss to the host Cardinal.
